Toro 190cc 4 Stroke Personal Pace 20332

Good mower – Had my toro for about 5 years.its a Good mower never had a issue part from bag falling apart and spring snapping on side chute. Cuts well . Good built deck Show details

Horrible product – Bought this mower from a dealer just shy of 6 months ago. Was replacing an old Victa that gave me nothing but trouble. The muffler cage was bent, like someone had kicked it, but on closer inspection it looks designed that way. After the first mow I tried the hose plug feature, doesn't fit standard size hose plugs? At least I can't get it to. … Read more

Had trouble starting it after a month, so I replaced the Spark Plug and now it starts first pull. Replaced the Air Filter at the same time.

Since then there has been some issues. White smoke blows a lot, escpecially after mowing hills. Goes away after a while. I've been back to the mower place several times and I generally do my own maitenance.

On the 2nd mow, it wouldn't start. The plastic plug holding the brake cable popped out, wouldn't stay in. Cable was getting caught on the handle fold down screws, got a bend in it and the black plastic is stipped to the metal. That's zip tied on.

The mower drags and requires effort to push anywhere when the engine isn't on.

The flap hanging off the back has always been in the way, getting stuck underneath when pulling the mower back. One day it was making a weird noise when I was pulling it back, one of the screws holding the flap had fallen out and part of it was getting blown around by the mower blade. Found the screw on the grass, but the hole is stripped, so I removed the flap.

In some bumpy spots the wheels spin, have to push over the bumps.

Have to double cut grass a foot high, thin or thick or blade will clog and engine stall. Have to get underneath and clear the blade. Works better with the side chute on, but not by much.

Wet grass stalls engine, sometimes there are clumps stopping the blade, other times not. Even if the rain has just started, the presense of water just seems to shut it down all of a sudden.

The Victa doesn't clog or stall and ignores water completely. It looks and sounds ill, takes a bit to start, but it does ok.

Sometimes the cut is jagged, to combat this I have to either mow left to right and up to down or move 3/4 over the last line. Defeats the purpose of the extra cutting size.

Blade is dull, I have to use a trimmer to tidy up. I have only used this mower on my yard and my neighbours, we live in a complex, so small granny type yards. I have also hit a hole in the back yard, so blades a little bent. I had to order a blade from a local mowing dealer. No one seems to stock them, or sell the mower anymore. There's a Bunnings store that has 1, but no parts and no other Bunnings stores I've been to sell the mower. With the usage it's seen, I wouldn't have expected the blade to need replacing quite yet. The Victa still has it's original blade and cuts fine.

It is heavy when pulling, turning or pushing. The self propel system doesn't work well on bumpy ground or up hill. The wheels spin. It's too big for some spots, standard 19 - 21 inch would work better.

Motor revs and sounds like there's no petrol when going up hill. Sometimes there is spill over into the air filter bay when going up hill.

Air filter clip has broken, it's stuck on with duct tape.

If I want to to fold the handle down, I have to take screw bolts off completely off. There are 2 pins with lock nuts at the bottom. They have to stay there, the handle sags toward the round if these are removed or the screw bolts removed. So need to ensure not to lose them if I put the handle down.

Have to adjust every wheel for height.

The bag only 1/2 to 3/4 fills.

Yesterday I was mowing and halfway through the whole thing was lopsided. On closer inspection one of the front wheels wasn't spinning. The deck adjusters were all on the same setting. The plate holding the wheel to the adjuster had somehow become jammed upwards. I had to remove the wheel and bend the plate back.

Also the opposite front wheel fell off when I was done! A known issue apparently. I put it back on and found that the thread hole in the deck was wonky, so I expect the wheel to continue falling off or becoming loose.

pretty fast and reliable lawn mower – It does save me time using this 21 inches mower: very easy to handle and to service. It can get a little noisy and the petrol consumption is a little high compared to the other mowers i had in the past. It is however pretty reliable if you service regularly. the downside is that the grass cut does not go as low as other mowers i had  Show details

Best mower I've ever had, Australian mixed level backyard – Hi there, I bought this second hand older push type Toro 190 21inch Mulcher from ebay 4 years ago for a bargain price of AU $200 and I claim that this is the best mower I've ever owned. Previous mowers in last 30 years have been a 2stroke 140cc Victa (loved it!), 2x Yardman 4hp Briggs+Stratton and afew cheap chinese made warranty return hacks. … Read more

Likes:

- starts FIRST pull every time, despite being parked outside under a tree every night,

- mulches perfectly for me,

- not too heavy to push around (I'm 51, reasonably fit/ healthy, I've had several knee reconstructions, so get real -we all need the workout),

- needless to say the wheel bearings (or lack off) are holding up good enough for me,

works great in forward and reverse pushing,

- engine shows no signs of letting up, still haven't done an oil change yet, guess I've got a good one.

- it is a true mulcher and muches very well, unlike some mowers that claim to "mulch"

- it's a pleasure to use this machine,

Dislikes :

- cumbersome fingerbreaking rising+lowering mechanisms on each wheel - really hate them !!!!!

- has no water wash plug like later models,

- 1 piece blade, raises the potential or buckling the engine shaft if I hit something hard like a brick. Bear in mind that I've had to repair this on the first Yardman I've owned, which cost me $200 - being the total cost of this machine.

Although I've used a friend's self propelled mower, I'm not convinced or swayed to part ways with my trust bargain Toro 190.

The day the engine ceases will be a sad one indeed.

Keep up the good work Toro.

Best mower I've ever had

Toto with tecumseh engine – I am a fitter by trade. I have had this mower for 10 years now. It's just started to leak oil. I park it under the deck. I mow about 1000m2 each time. Mow at worst 3 hours 150mm long grass. Up hill down dale. Replaced a damaged blade, a priming bulb, pull cable and air filter in ten years. Service every 3rd year. I wash the filter out when blocked… Read more

and swap with the previously cleaned filter. Now has rust hole in deck. Lost mulching plug and catcher is stuffed. That rubber seal below rear gone years ago. Sharpen blade with cordless grinder. Pros cost me 2 bucks a week to have over ten years. Always starts second pull. Never a belt. Never a box. Never a spark plug. Happy. No bearings in wheels to fail. Cons. Dumb adjustment on height. Catcher is crap only half fills. Cables hang out on handle get caught on shrubs. No bearings in wheels to make it easy to push when motor off. You can't have everything.

Works well if used as directed 7 years old just changed belt and blade – Toro 190cc 4 Stroke Personal Pace recycler. The mower is not made to cut the grass to the roots but to a healthy level.If left to long between mows best is to cut highs setting then lowest if you want to use the mulch/recycle if you use the Catcher be ready to empty offend. yes it clogs on wet grass let it dry a bit it will save you a lot of… Read more

time. The drive belt is easy to change, there are you tube video on how to do it . The personal pace works well and easy to adjust again you tube video to adjust it.Change the air filter regularly as it will effect power and starting if clogged. Minor problem with the plastic safety cover on the rear of mower will wear out or suffer damage if you go backwards often and on lowest setting but still works well as the original is still been used. the side shoo works well if you have thick long grass even on lowest setting but be ready to rack it up . Over all after 7 years of doing a 1/4 acre block still goes well. PS read the manual fully and follow the recommend use and it will all go well.1= long and thick side shoot. 2= not so long catcher or 2 cut one high 2nd low with mulch/recycle 3 = regular cut grass mulch/recycle . And remember it's a lawn mower not a bulldozer or slasher.

It's OK - has design problems and won't easily work on hills, moist grass. It feels flimsy! – This mower does what it is meant to. It starts, mows and it propels itself (under good to excellent mowing conditions). The mower is heavy and relatively awkward to manoeuvre - it resists being pulled backwards against the one direction pulley driven propulsion mechanism. Also the charging system is from a small dc charger attached to a plug on… Read more

the handlebar. A self charging system would be much better.

The mower is designed for swathes of grass on a large suburban block which is relatively flat. That way it will easily drive itself forward at your own walking speed. Any hills, slippery ground or longish grass will see it bog down and cut no further. The mower needs to be pulled backward going on hilly ground, this is where the drive resistance comes in. In good conditions, up the hill it goes, but then it has to be pulled back again. If you have a straight forward lawn this will be OK.

The engine seems good to me, although it hasn't done that many hours. I have had it for two years now, still starts easily and mows.

I looked at the US review sites that claimed the mower was pretty good. I now realize that this is for American lawns and easy going conditions.

I purchased this mower unseen from the dealer who said it would be suitable for my application (relatively hilly etc) The TORO I saw and based my judgement on was a lighter utility model which appeared to be well built but didn't have the self starting or self drive.

Would I buy another one - NO. But I will keep it for a while longer and live with its failings. I am mechanically minded and can adjust mend, repair and fix most of the problems identified by other reviewers on the 'ProductReview' site.

Considering the price I paid ~ $800, I really should have got a Honda.

Wide cut – The Toro 190cc 4 Stroke Personal Pace is the ideal lawnmower to make things quick and easy.It's wide 22" blade makes cutting of the thickest grass a breeze.It travels at your walking pace which makes an effortless job of the largest areas.It starts first go every time and it is quite economical.This mower was purchased from Bunnings where only the highest quality power tools are sold.  Show details

Would never buy again – I've had a 22" recycler for around 18mths. Major problems with the so called automatic choke. Motor constantly loses power because choke doesn't work. Would be much better with manual choke and primer. The cut is excellent provided you're on completely flat ground. Body is steel so rusts. You have to hold a lever to make it run as a safety… Read more

precaution - pain in the ass. The piece of rubber at the back gets in the way every time you try to mow backwards, I cut it off in the end. My old masport was much better.

Hopeless! Not suited to Australian conditions – Similar experience to Inb. This mower seems designed to self-destruct in several ways. Plastic underside has big holes allowing cut grass to foul the belt and gear box. The soft flap at rear has pieces chopped out by the blade when reversing. Parts are too expensive to keep replacing, especially after the initial high cost of the machine. Now… Read more

the motor and cutter work but cannot push it without the self-drive. Very disappointing, over-priced and I refuse to spend any more on it. Would never touch this brand again!

Poor quality parts and several design faults – An expensive folly. Most of the plastic undercarriage disintegrated within a very short time (not fit for purpose) exposing the drive belt and preventing proper catching. Three, yes, three gear boxes, five gear box bearings to date (two under warranty), multiple belts used so far despite the mower being used on flat open ground on a domestic… Read more

block. Have given up on further repairs as I have paid for the mower almost twice let alone the down time. Mower also too heavy to push without drive and too maintenance hungry. Never again!!!

Should have brought a Victa – It's red and shiny and boasts all the bells and whistles, but that's where the good points stop. Motor is easy to start, when it's cold, and when it feels like it, but the grass cuttings clog the rear axle so often that you constantly need to put it on its side to clear it out, the good luck trying to start it again. The deck is poorly made for… Read more

anything less than a manicured lawn. After mowing my rear yard a few times, the front flimsy piece of metal on the underside tore itself out, never to be replaced. The blades are recessed too deep in the mower body to get a decent cut height, which means in the tropics, your mowing more often. It doesn't like to turn, it doesn't like moist grass, it doesn't like rough or uneven ground and for the $798 I paid for it at Bunnings I feel like I've been violated. Don't even get me started on the useless catcher bag or the availability of spare parts.

Toro dealer told me it is junk – Had it for 5 tortuous years, last 3 can only start by injecting petrol into spark plug hole. Yes it has been carefully looked after but after last service at Dealers mechanic confessed that this engine is one of the most likely to break down. I wont be spending another $200 to repair. And parts? Small washer at bowl of carbie is over $10

Toro 20332c – Feb 2014 Won on eBay, paid $455. Retails for about $800. Brand new from mower shop. Was donated by toro for a fundraiser so all proceeds went to fund. Win win. Big powerful machine. Does everything it should so far. I'm mechanically minded so not fearing maintenance/use issues. Briggs quantum engines are good. Any negative reviews are generally… Read more

misuse or lack of knowledge on capabilities. I was very hesitant to bid due to some reviews. Eg: if your going to mulch/recycle, you can't hide 5 inches of cuttings in 1/2 an inch of grass! Cut more often to mulch. :)

Side discharge Shute protrudes a little so better not knock on anything. Biggest thing when using this mower is the blades are a direct extension of engine shaft so if you hit on brick or rock or tree root and it bends the shaft it's same price to fix as buy new!! Most other mowers have swing back blades, to absorb impact. Suits me, suits lawn(kikuyu).

Hope it helps.

Edit may 2015

Still going strong, changed oil as recommended for 4 strokes. This mower is for big jobs, 500sqmtrs of lawn. Side discharge is great, quick. Catches well. Mulching is for the enthusiasts and the marketing team. Don't bother mulching any lawn unless you mow every week, not mowers fault, applies to all mowers. Starts on second pull. Self propell is great. Blades always need a sharpen occasionally. Nothing broken at all. Best for big lawns!! Self drive, powerful, price, easy start, versatile- bag mulch side discharge Height adjust 4 and flimsy handles, bit heavy.

This mower rates up there with 8 track and beta videos – I purchased this mower when I retired to replace my ageing Victor. The biggest mistake I mad was throwing the Victor out before I cut summer grass with my shiny new red Toro. This would have to be the most poorly designed piece of junk I have ever had the misfortune of using. I will not pick up grass that is in the least bit thick or damp the… Read more

shute glogs easily and you have to stop the mower and clean the shute ,you can not mow at walking pace, you can not cut a full width. If you wish to change from mulch to catcher you must clean the flap to allow it to local in position.And what is worse yo could not in good conscience sell this to some one else. Be warned think twice before you spend good money

Has lasted 9 years – This is a review of the 20112, 22" rear wheel drive. I have had this for 9 years. After 5 years the engine needed to be reconditioned. Engine may not be up to doing a large area, so don't expect it to last long. Height adjustment works fine on the rear wheels, perhaps due to the weight on them, but is difficult to operate on the front wheels. … Read more

If the grass is long or wet it tends to get stuck in the discharge chute and the catcher does not fill properly. The safety handle means that it stops any time you take your hand off it, and if you fix it to stay down when using the catcher, you get covered in grass cuttings being blown out. Current equivalent is a 20372. Powerful engine, fairly even cutting, starts easily when cold, mulches well provided the grass is not too long. Can be hard to start when hot. Catcher should be much bigger, have to stop constantly to empty it. Individual height adjustment on each wheel creates work and is difficult to operate. Lack of a throttle - it is flat out all the time. Very loud, earplugs are essential. Only lasted 5 years.

Sure beats pushing – There is good and bad in everything we buy today. I've had mine for 5 seasons to mow a suburban lawn. I don't believe in scalping the grass every time I mow and have set the height to 50 mm or 2 inches, this conserves water and saves me money. I hate to give anything away and that includes the clippings so I use the mulch function most of the… Read more

time. Yes the outlet chute can get blocked with wet grass but you can minimise this by mowing half strips or stop mowing when raining. Cleaning the mower should not be done with the quick wash port as it does not clean the grass from the drive belt, as with all other mowers I have owned, I tip them onto there side with the exhaust down and use a spray nozzle on the hose to clean underneath, inside the belt guard and in the gap in the drive wheels. So far the mower starts on the 2nd or 3rd pull and I still haven't had to sharpen the blades. My two gripes would have to be the oil filler dipstick cap is a quarter turn to remove and can be mistakenly left unlocked causing oil to spew out.The other thing is the paint on the deck is pealing and the metal is getting surface rust. A coat of primer at the time of manufacture couldn't have been that expensive could it? Quality of the cut, self paced and mulching blade design Poor paint job, oil filler cap design

Love the drive operation - works in awkward situations – Well I have "inherited" the task of mowing the vicarage lawn anwd this new mower was there. Worst possible lawn - steep, bumpy, confined, even torturous The mower is brilliant! Ordinary non propelled mower would have been a HUGE struggle but I can mow one handed , from the side, or whatever. Dreading the day problems start - which I why I… Read more

thought I,d look up the web .... Brilliant for a very difficult steep, bumpy lawn - so far! Nothing yet but it is light and flexy .....

A new toy – I purchased a Toro walk power lawn mower in Dec.2012. Although I am happy with it there are issues that I was not expecting. Such as, although it is self propelled it is very heavy when you try to back up and turn tight corners. There is a rubber stone guard that sits across the back under the grass catcher. It is impossible to drag the mower… Read more

backwards without this flipping up under the mower. There is also no idle on the mower, it is either going forward or turned off. There is also no throttle so you cannot vary the cutting speed depending on the thickness of the grass. good electric starter, good self proplosion, grass catcher easy to remove no throttle, heavy to move in tight spots,

Needs better engine – I have had for just over two yrs now and you get start first time every time warranty for two yrs mine has not started 1,2 or 3 times ever, 15 times to get it started its a joke and toro dont really care add a primer bulb dont rely on auto choke its [censored word removed], I have taken it to 3 seperate mower shops cant fix the problem. once… Read more

running its a good machine how every i am starting to have problems with the self propell now. Good once running Very hard to start

Not too bad – Goes fine. Great machine when the grass is dry, clogs up a bit when grass is wet. As the other reviews say its cutting height isn't low enough. Cuts cool season grass fine but only at high heights as it clogs up. Personal pace is good but cable needs to be adjusted every few weeks. Simply it's An American machine Being sold to an Australian market… Read more

which it's not suited for without a high airflow deck. Wouldn't buy another as its too flimsy for frequent use Keeps up with how fast I walk. Clogs up. Height adjusters are flimsy. Overall build is flimsy. Dosent cut low enough. Front weels always fall off.

Heavy heap of junk – This mowers self paced system can't even push itself along, the wheels slip in the lawn. The blade is set to high up inside the shell so you can't cut lower enough before the metal shell sits in the grass and this doesn't help the wheel slip issue. It is so heavy horrible to turn around and manouvre. American pile of junk. The only mowers worth… Read more

buying are Aussie ones like Victa which have a low cutting blade. Its red!! Heavy, hard to pull start, wheels slip, cutting height is too high.

Toro junk – The Toro self pacing lawn mower is the worst I have ever owned. First day wheel adjuster jumped out jamming the wheel and bending the flimsy adjuster. Won't cut on damp grass. Cannot get a low setting. spark plug lead continually jumps off, wheels don't grip, very heavy to push, grass shute cracked, rear stone guard fell off, drive cable came out of holder, could not start mower, yesterday the blade fell off. Had it 6 months.

Excellent – Very good machine does the job well the grass is left looking tidy and healthy, its a shame about the catcher lets the whole show down The Toro recycler 190cc is robust/easy to start & light weight The grass catcher lets the machine down I recently puchased the toro 190cc self propelled & first use the grass got caught up in between the fabric where the stitching had not been finished off, making it very difficult to clean was not impressed

Bad – This mower is ok but I feel let down by this purchase. I have used spacers to lower the blade but can still not get the mower to cut at a low enough height. The back part of the deck is plastic and had now needs to be replaced (my fault as I hit a stone. The mower does not bag well and the chute tends to get clogged up very easily. I usually mulch… Read more

and am happy with the mulching ability. Starts easily, self propel, mulches Lowest height setting is still very high. Back part of deck is plastic. Not single height adjustment lever.

Not a happy chappy – Edited (reduced in content) pending a response from Toro. !!! (Further edits pending?) Toro require that a mower to be returned to a service centre - even for a wheel or belt replacement. _______________________________________ This mower is not up to the quality of the Briggs and Stratton motor. I've had it (up to the neck) for 15… Read more

months and it is literally cracking up and causing problems already. (Ok. I am mowing three quarters of an acre but that is within its specifications.)

Problems and D-I-Y solutions.

1. Side throw opening is too small and poorly shaped.

This opening needed strengthening as it had broken below the opening and cracked above it.

Toro are known for not cutting wet or long grass, See ... http://forums2.gardenweb.com/forums/load/lmower/msg0513352130459.html but the larger hole almost eliminates this problem.

2. The flimsy plate across the front of the cutting area deforms easily and causes a lip that a collection of cuttings can jam the blade.

3. Also plate the plastic rear 'plate' as it cracks easily.

4. The above 'Garden web Forum' has some useful tips on the transmission that either doesn't work at all (slips) - or locks up when moving the mower forwards or backwards. This maybe gearbox related - or wear in the wheels as follows.

I have found that the plastic type gears on the wheel have worn out.

5. The belt drive is difficult to replace as I could only gain access to some retaining screws holding the gearbox by drilling holes through the body in appropriate places.

Travelling 400Km to get a belt replaced is a ridulous ask!

In my opinion, this mower is 'not for purpose' as required by state regulations.

Not recommended for long term use, too expensive for limited use. The motor. Poor design. Skimpy manufacture.

Excellent – The personal pace self-propulsion system has proven much better than I thought it would. It makes mowing our thick buffalo lawn an easy task, even up slope. In mulch mode, the mower is very effective. Detailed documentation, including a full illustrated parts breakdown, are readily available on the internet. I appreciate the safety… Read more

afforded by the lever control for the engine that automatically shuts it down if you let go.

I have previously used Honda mowers. They are good, but I doubt that they are worth that much more than this Toro. Powerful engine. Self propel system. Cuts and mulches well. Offers mulch, bag or side chute. Is a safer mower than most on the market. Value for money. Two year warranty. It would be a little inconvenient to adjust cut height at individual wheels, but I have only needed to set it once. The lowest cut height is probably too high for those looking for a bowling green finish, but perfect for my buffalo lawn.